Travel App Development: How to Create a Travel App in 2024

With almost 65% of all traffic in the travel industry coming from mobile devices, there is no surprise that travel apps are growing increasingly important every day. From travel planning and trip booking to staying connected on the go, apps are the best companion and tour guide a traveler can have.

At the same time, they offer unique brand and growth opportunities for travel companies, and that's the reason so many businesses are taking their websites mobile with great success.

Travel and tourism app development is a huge topic, which is why we’ve created this comprehensive tourism app development guide to help you learn everything you need to know about mobile apps and not miss out on the opportunities they provide. Let’s dive into the mobile travel app development process, and see how apps can transform ambitious travel agencies, tour operators, and other travel companies.

Also, choosing the right web and mobile travel app development company is essential, but making the choice isn’t always easy, especially if you don't know where to start.

Trends in travel mobile app development

As with any other business sector, the travel industry is no stranger to trends and influences that shape the way it functions. Let’s see what’s up and coming in the travel market and the role that apps can play.

Growing popularity of mobile apps

Mobile apps are becoming increasingly popular, and the travel industry is feeling the effect. The global revenue of the travel app market is expected to increase by a whopping 64% by 2027.

More and more travel companies rely on mobile apps and their unique functionalities to make enticing offers to their customers and provide better service. It is one thing to interact with users through a website, and a completely different thing to be in contact with them through an app, which is always stored in their smartphone and reminds them of your services through push notifications.

For sure we are only going to see more travel apps in the future, especially considering how some of the newest technologies are affecting the market already — the rise of AI and AR is going to make apps even more efficient in providing new and engaging experiences and supporting travelers during their journeys.

Exploring innovative tourism app ideas is crucial as the market expands. From apps that offer real-time cultural immersion through AR, to those that facilitate seamless travel planning with AI-driven personalization, the possibilities are vast.

Personalization

Solo travel is on the rise, with customers looking for experiences that are specifically tailored to them. That’s why personalization is especially important. Travel apps use customer data to show unique recommendations and offers that match the customer’s preferences, making personalization feel natural and helpful.

Mobile payments

Mobile payments are becoming increasingly more important, as we all expect quick and easy ways to pay, with our card details there for us at the click of a button. The COVID-19 pandemic pushed this trend further, with many businesses taking a digital-first approach and now choosing to only accept digital payments.

Travel apps are at the center of this shift, enabling tourists to pay for trips and services on the go, without hassle. According to a Travelport survey, 61% of travelers in the USA now use their smartphone to both book and pay for travel. That is why implementing credit card payments, Apple Pay, and Google Pay into a travel app is crucial.

Artificial intelligence

AI is certainly a hot topic. Travel and tourism companies are finding new ways to leverage the technology, from AI generated itineraries that use behavioral data to provide customers with personalized travel plans to dynamic pricing tools that change room rates automatically to help businesses maximize their revenue.

However, when it comes to mobile apps, the most obvious use of artificial intelligence is AI-powered chatbots that take care of customer support. They provide 24/7 availability and quick responses in multiple languages, saving time and effort for businesses. Watch this space!

Push mobile-only loyalty programs

Another trend of the industry is loyalty programs that are especially beneficial for mobile users. Travel giants like Booking.com and Agoda utilize app-exclusive mobile rates (for example, a 10% discount for a booking) to incentivize and retain users through mobile experiences.

This focus on providing exclusive benefits promotes extra downloads and more engagement from customers, since apps offer a constant presence of your brand in users’ everyday life.

Sustainability

Sustainability is more important than ever, with travel businesses often in the spotlight for their negative impact on the planet. The tourism industry is notoriously known for its huge carbon footprint, water consumption, and impact on local communities.

Thankfully, travel companies are finally starting to take the environment seriously, implementing various sustainability metrics across their operations and creating new digital solutions like carbon footprint calculators and eco-friendly travel apps. With digital check-ins and ticketing, think about the amount of paper you can save with an app alone!

AR and VR

Augmented reality and virtual reality are two of the newest trends in the travel industry. There are lots of ways you can bring them into your travel app to give yourself a competitive edge and offer a unique experience. Some accommodation businesses have started including interactive, 360-degree views of their rooms in their listings, while others are gamifying the travel experience with VR landscapes of a particular destination.

Leverage the power of AR and VR to bring your travel and tourism services to life. While costly now, it is reasonable to assume that these technologies will become more accessible in the future.

Does your travel company need a mobile app?

So, which travel companies can benefit from mobile apps? Let’s see how you can match app features and business needs in the most natural way.

Established companies

First of all, mobile apps are best suited for established businesses that can truly utilize their potential — businesses with a stable workflow and multiple travel agents or other employees to support it. Apps require investments and provide benefits proportionate to the size of the travel business. Established travel companies typically have larger budgets for marketing and app development, allowing them to create more popular, high-quality, and feature-rich apps.

Another benefit is data and analytics: established travel businesses have access to a lot of accumulated data and customer behavior patterns, which can be used to provide better service and create personalized experiences within the app, leading to higher user engagement. Finally, established companies have a set of existing systems they can integrate with the app to provide a cohesive and streamlined experience for users.

Mobile-first travel startups

It goes without saying that travel app development for startups might be their perfect entry into the travel market — think of Hopper, for example. If your idea revolves around utilizing app-specific features like geolocation, push notifications, or something else, then an app is a must.

Repeat business focus

Mobile apps are unparalleled when it comes to retaining customers. Applications are stored inside users’ mobile devices, and the app logo is always visible on the screen. Add push notifications, reminders, special offers, and loyalty programs into the mix, and you get a set of tools designed specifically to keep customers engaged and connected to your business for a long period of time.

Companies that focus on repeat bookings and increasing LTV will find apps incredibly helpful tools for achieving that purpose.

Companies interested in launching a loyalty program

If you’re interested in launching your own loyalty program, you’ll find apps exceptional. They provide a direct and personalized channel to engage with travelers, allowing you to inform them about your loyalty program benefits, special offers, and personalized rewards, keeping them engaged with your brand.

Mobile apps also provide a wealth of data on user behavior, preferences, and interactions. You can leverage it to gain insights into customer preferences and refine your program and marketing strategies.

Businesses aiming to provide exceptional services

Travel businesses that are focused on providing exceptional services can hugely benefit from developing mobile apps. Apps enable travelers to reach out to you 24/7, see their information on the go, get tailored recommendations, buy tickets with ease, and store their documents without the need for paperwork.

To put it simply, apps offer an experience that no website can provide, so any travel company looking to provide something outside of ordinary website functionality should consider app development.

Companies that won’t benefit from a travel app

Now that we’ve established which companies should consider app development, we have to mention that apps aren’t suitable for every business — they should only be developed for companies that are ready for it.

Custom mobile app development for a travel company with only a handful of agents and bookings wouldn’t be wise — the investment would be disproportionate to the scale of the business.

As we’ve mentioned earlier, app benefits correlate with the size of the company and its ability to invest in development and maintenance, so you should only decide to build one when you’re truly ready for it. The notable exception is travel app development for a startup that has built its whole strategy around the app.

Another thing worth mentioning is that mobile apps also won’t suit your company if your current system doesn’t allow any third party integrations, since apps work best in combination with existing tools. Ensure that your software is flexible enough to support that.

The specifics of travel app development for each app type

Booking and transportation apps

Booking and transportation applications help users make reservations and bookings for flights, hotels, car rentals, and other travel necessities. Apps of this kind require inventory management functionality — they should have a comprehensive inventory of available accommodations, and transportation options.

Modern customers also expect integrated payment gateways for seamless transactions, and a user profile feature that enables them to create and manage their profiles, preferences, and booking history.

Finally, integrating your app with CRM and the booking system will help a lot with managing customer interactions and bookings efficiently.

Concierge apps

Concierge apps are designed to provide personalized assistance to travelers. They offer a range of services and information, like recommendations for restaurants, attractions, and activities based on users’ preferences and the particular location they're in. Concierge applications may also provide real-time updates on the weather, show local transportation options, provide a language translation service, and connect users to emergency assistance.

Apps of that kind rely on in-app chat tools that can connect travelers with agents for personalized support. They should also have the capability to create, view, and manage personalized travel itineraries, including flights, accommodations, activities, and reservations. Finally, just like booking apps, they should provide users with the ability to manage their profiles and preferences within the app.

Tour guide apps

Tour guide apps serve as virtual guides, providing information and assistance during trips: from audio guides and maps to detailed information about popular tourist attractions and landmarks. They enable users to explore destinations at their own pace, following suggested itineraries or providing the ability for the user to create their own.

Tour guide apps rely heavily on rich content, so detailed descriptions, images, and other media elements are absolutely necessary. At the same time, while content-rich, the app's interface and user experience should be designed to be user-friendly and simple to navigate.

Travel planning apps

The purpose of a trip planning app is to assist travelers in organizing their itineraries. Users can often create detailed trip plans, view guides on travel destinations, and sometimes book excursions.

There are different types of travel planning apps, including those focused on budget travel, family vacations, solo travel, and adventure trips. Each type will have specific features tailored to the respective travel preferences.

Travel planning app development often relies on implementing artificial intelligence to provide personalized recommendations, itinerary suggestions, and travel insights based on user preferences and behavior.

Must-have features for travel apps

Advanced search

An advanced search is one of the most essential features of any travel app. It helps travelers sort and filter through your offerings and choose the options that fit them. The best search tools go a step further, offering users personalized suggestions based on their search and booking histories.

Booking system

Booking systems allow users to book and manage travel services like flights or car rentals. A robust booking system is a must for most travel apps, since it provides reservation management tools (like booking modifications and cancellation options), real-time availability, and pricing info, all packaged together on a user-friendly interface.

Payment gateway

Secure and simple payment gateways like Stripe, Google Pay, and Apple Pay are crucial for any travel app. They offer unparalleled convenience and can boost your sales significantly.

Payment gateways also allow users to store their payment information, making their future purchases a breeze and helping you get a satisfied, loyal audience.

Real-time updates

Mobile apps are back-pocket companions, so it’s important to include features that make life easier for travelers wherever they are in the world, whether that’s in the UK or on a remote island in the Pacific.

With real-time updates on flight delays, weather conditions, and more, you give users good reason to stick with your travel app, since websites just cannot match that kind of on-the-go reliability. Set your app apart and grow loyalty to your travel and tourism business with tools that users can depend on.

Travel itinerary

Travel itineraries help users keep in check with their travel plans by providing them with all their trip information in one place. Itineraries can also sync with users’ calendars and send automatic reminders so travelers feel informed at all times. With an in-app interactive itinerary, you can provide your travelers with the confidence they need during their trip.

Offline access

Offline access is just as important as other travel app features. After all, users need access to their travel info even without internet connection. Travelers who find themselves in remote areas like woods or mountains might need an offline map for navigation, while offline access to customer support might mean everything for someone arriving alone in a new city.

And of course, customers will appreciate not having to pay expensive mobile roaming charges to simply use your app.

Travel app development process

Developing a travel app is a multi-step process that requires a lot of consideration. Done right, you’ll get a top-notch solution that can boost your company's revenue, brand recognition, and overall customer satisfaction.

Here at Zoftify, our travel application development process consists of a few important phases — discovery, development, user acceptance testing, app launch, and post-launch support.

This is the most complex part of our travel application development guide. Let's break down each phase.

If you're interested in how we work in more detail, you can contact Zoftify directly and we'll walk you through it.

Product discovery phase

The first step in our tourism app development process is discovery. This usually consists of several workshops with our dedicated travel experts team to define the core features, functionalities and priorities for your app. Our experts in travel app development help to refine your app idea with industry best practice and travel app trends in mind.

The discovery phase will also give you an estimate for overall app development costs and a timeframe required to build a travel app from scratch.

This phase is crucial in tourism application development, helping you to establish a plan that saves you from costly reworks down the line.

Research

Before we start the custom travel mobile app development process, we conduct thorough market research to help you see if your idea is viable in the current market. We also define what success looks like for your travel app development project, who your competitors are, and who your target audience is.

All of this will help us develop a comprehensive project plan with goals and metrics for success, plus defined user personas.

UI/UX design

Next, we create the outline of your future app to help you visualize it. We start with wireframing — or even a functional prototype that you can try out yourself.

Your feedback helps to shape the wireframes, and we’ll work in iterations to ensure you get exactly what you want. You can also test the wireframes with a focus group to guarantee that your users will like it just as much as you do.

Once done with the wireframes, our UI/UX designers will work on the interface for your app, including the buttons, colors and fonts. Our creative team will ensure that your travel app is intuitive and on-brand.

UI/UX is crucial — if users feel that something's off with the way the app looks or feels, they might feel differently about your travel business and even abandon the app altogether. A clean design will make your company seem professional and reputable in the eyes of the user, while its usability and ease of navigation will be the reason they decide to stick with your app.

Technical analysis

The technical analysis is all about assessing the feasibility and technical requirements of the proposed app. It covers several key elements like platform selection, infrastructure requirements, performance considerations, security assessment, technology stack, integration points, and data management.

The output of the technical analysis stage is a comprehensive document that serves as a roadmap for the development team, providing necessary info about the architecture, infrastructure, and technologies to be employed during the development process.

A thorough technical analysis is necessary, because It helps with identifying potential challenges and risks early in the project. Providing a clear understanding of the timeline and resource requirements helps facilitate accurate project planning and budgeting.

Development phase

Project kickoff

During this stage our team sets up the necessary tools and establishes the development environment. It all begins with onboarding the development team, product owners, stakeholders and any other experts involved, describing the project's objectives, scope, and timelines. Project kickoff stage ensures that everyone has a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities.

Then we set up Jira and Confluence to enable efficient task tracking, issue management, and collaborative documentation. After this we move to travel app module decomposition (smaller tasks that can be assigned to developers).

Project kickoff also requires setting up the project's Git repository, establishing branching strategies, and ensuring that all team members have the necessary access and permissions to contribute to the codebase.

Finally, we establish continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines to automate the build, testing, and deployment processes. This involves configuring build servers, defining testing procedures, and integrating with deployment environments.

Development process

The travel application development process mostly consists of coding. Our talented programmers implement the functionalities you outlined during the previous stages of travel app development, following the established pixel-perfect approach.

Along with coding, our developers integrate external APIs, e.g. from GDS or larger OTAs. They also develop unit tests that significantly increase the quality of your app. Integrating with travel APIs is essential for getting real-time inventory availability, flight schedules, and transportation options. At the same time, QA engineers test the app to identify and address any issues, bugs, or performance concerns.

At Zoftify, we work in “sprints”, which means that the tourism application development process is iterative and broken down into 2-week bursts of activity. This enables us to deliver results on a rolling basis, as features are developed, so you can watch your app come to life in front of you. As the app owner, we provide you with regular updates to keep you informed during the build.

User acceptance testing (UAT)

The next stage of travel company app development is UAT.

Our QA engineers test that your app works exactly the way you envisioned it, from its usability and general performance to security and functionality — and if you have your own testing team, they are very welcome at this stage as well.

We carry out several tests, like integration testing and beta testing, and only when every last issue has been found, documented, and fixed, can we launch your app. UAT can take some time, but we can't overestimate the importance of launching a travel app that is perfectly refined.

App stores releases

It’s really important to get any travel app release right, as you want your audiences’ first impression of your app to be a positive one. But it’s not just about the marketing — following all of the guidelines of a specific app store requires a lot of knowledge and consideration.

Our travel mobile app development team knows the ins and outs of the Google Play store Apple App store, so they can handle the complex launch procedures and ensure your app meets the stores’ requirements.

Maintenance

No travel mobile app project stops at launch — it's not enough to just develop a travel app and release it as a finished product. Like any digital solution, apps require maintenance, bug fixes, and updates to stay relevant and perform well.

Technical issues and poor performance are among the most popular reasons for abandoning apps, which is why our developers continue to monitor and support your app to keep it working hard for your business.

Security in travel app development

This guide to travel app development wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t touch on the subject of security. As a travel app owner, you are responsible for the safety of your users’ data — and that is a huge responsibility. There are several rules to follow to help you maintain the highest levels of security throughout the travel app development journey.

Middleware

Middleware is a type of software that acts as a bridge between different applications, systems, or components, and is essential for handling communication, data transfers, and security. You should never connect an app directly to a GDS or API with a secret key — there must be a middle layer that keeps all the secret keys and maintains the highest security standards. Think of middleware as the connecting layer that enables the components of your travel app to function and fit together seamlessly and securely.

If you’re interested in our middleware tech stack for travel application development, we typically use NestJS (a popular Node.js framework) as a core, PostgreSQL for databases, and AWS for deployment, giving us efficient runtime, robust and reliable data storage, and scalable and reliable infrastructure for hosting middleware components.

Error-free code and regular security checks

Vulnerabilities in the code can lead to security issues, so it’s important to ensure everything is safe by conducting regular checks. Our developers follow the best industry practices and routinely inspect the code to guarantee safety at all times.

Upgrade packages and maintain the app

Regularly upgrading packages and maintaining the app is crucial for fixing security vulnerabilities. App maintenance involves fixing bugs and issues that may arise over time, optimizing performance, improving loading times, and ensuring compatibility with new systems and third-party services.

Encryption

Your app requires data encryption, so that both users’ data and the app’s code remain unreadable to hackers and other unauthorized parties. Encryption is a very common practice, but an extremely effective one, which is why our professional travel app development team recommends implementing it.

Secure APIs

APIs serve as the primary way to transfer data, so ensuring the process is secure is a priority. This can be achieved by using SSL protocol and only allowing API access to necessary applications with data authorization, and using a strong gateway or a central server to manage user authentication.

Technologies used for travel app development

There are several approaches to building mobile applications — from native to cross-platform and hybrid options, and there are also lots of different tools that can be used for that purpose. Let’s learn more about the advantages and downsides of every development method and talk about the tools we’ve found to be the best.

Mobile

Native

Native app development involves building separate apps for each platform, separating travel application development for iOS and travel application development for Android. After all, they each use their own programming languages and development tools: Swift or Objective-C for iOS, and Java or Kotlin for Android.

This approach offers the best performance and user experience, as well as access to all native features and APIs of the device. However, it requires separate codebases for each platform, leading to high development costs and a long time-to-market.

Cross-platform

Cross-platform option means developing a single codebase that works for both platforms, which is both quick and cost-efficient. For this purpose, developers generally use React Native or Flutter. Our travel software development company prefers React Native, which is often considered to be the best framework for developing travel apps.

The best part of React Native is that it leverages native components and APIs, enabling apps to deliver native-like performance despite being cross-platform.

Secondly, React Native allows us to write reusable code components that can be shared between different parts of your app, or across your future projects with us. This reduces the cost of a travel app development, speeds up iterations, and ensures consistency throughout your app.

Finally, React Native offers unlimited integration capabilities, so we can easily connect third-party APIs like maps, payment gateways, and social media into your app.

Among the various technologies used in custom app development for travel companies, our experience has shown that React Native stands out as the most effective, consistently driving a positive return on investment (ROI).

Hybrid

Hybrid app development for a travel company involves using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, wrapped in a native container (using tools like Ionic Capacitor), to create apps that can run on multiple platforms.

For hybrid apps, you can use Ionic — an open-source framework that provides a library of mobile-optimized HTML, CSS, and JS components, along with built-in support for Angular or React, enabling us to quickly and reliably build hybrid solutions with no hassle.

Hybrid mobile apps are typically slower and less robust.

API

Application programming interface_ _(API) is a set of rules and protocols that connects pieces of software and enables them to communicate with each other. It** **is used in travel and hospitality app development to access and integrate data, services, and functionalities from various sources, including third-party providers and internal systems.

To put it simply, APIs enable developers to seamlessly integrate flight schedules, hotel availability, weather forecasts, and other data sources into the app.

There are two main ways of API integration — let’s see how they function.

Server

In traditional server-based architecture the app runs on dedicated servers where developers manage the infrastructure, including provisioning, scaling, and maintenance. When using APIs in a server-based approach, the app communicates with the server to access the required data or services. This setup provides full control over the environment but requires ongoing management and scaling efforts.

Serverless

The serverless option, which is offered by platforms like AWS and Firebase, allows us to focus solely on writing code without managing the underlying infrastructure. This way, APIs can be utilized to access cloud-based services, databases, and other functionalities without the need to maintain servers. This approach offers scalability, cost-efficiency, and reduced operational overhead, as the platform handles the infrastructure management.

Tools used for travel app development

Git

Git is a distributed version control system that tracks changes in any set of computer files, and is primarily used for coordinating work between developers. Think of it as Google Docs for software developers. It is a cornerstone tool not just for travel mobile application development, but any modern software development in general.

Crashlytics

Another tool in our tech stack is Crashlytics — a real-time crash-reporting tool that helps us monitor and resolve any issues affecting your app.

Crashlytics provides our travel app developers with a descriptive list of crashes and other issues, sorted in terms of priority. We use Crashlytics after travel application development too, as it helps us quickly determine the root cause of any technical problem and manage them swiftly, to ensure customer satisfaction.

Analytics

Analytics tools provide us and your business with valuable insights into user behavior, app performance, and the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. In our work we mostly use Firebase Analytics and Mixpanel, and also AppsFlyer for user attribution.

Firebase is free and it offers a comprehensive set of app analytics that enables us to understand user engagement, retention, and conversion. That allows us to track user interaction with features like search, booking, and navigation, and provides insights into user demographics, user journeys, and in-app events, allowing us to optimize the app experience based on real user data and improve travel app retention rate.

Mixpanel is another powerful analytics tool that focuses on user-centric analytics like user behavior and engagement metrics. Mixpanel can help track user actions like searches for destinations and interactions with travel content.

AppsFlyer specializes in mobile attribution and marketing analytics, allowing you to track the performance of marketing campaigns and other important user engagement metrics for travel apps, such as user acquisition and app monetization. With AppsFlyer, we can enable you to measure the effectiveness of your marketing channels, optimize ad spend, and understand the full user journey from app installation to desired actions.

CI/CD

CI/CD stands for continuous integration and continuous deployment, and it is the process of automatically building, testing, and deploying mobile apps that can later be validated by QA specialists and beta testers.

To ensure your app works exactly as intended and is free of bugs, CI/CD pipelines provide automated tests for extra quality and security. This means increased productivity, rapid feedback loops, and ultimately faster time to market.

In our work, we use CI/CD tools like Bitrise and AppCenter.

Push notifications providers

We also rely on push notification providers like Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) and Braze. They enable efficient, timely, and personalized notifications, and play a significant role in tourism and hospitality app development.

FCM is a cross-platform messaging solution that allows developers to send messages to users on both Android and iOS devices. FCM facilitates the delivery of push notifications to users, keeping them informed about flight updates, hotel bookings, or travel recommendations, keeping users engaged.

Braze is a customer engagement platform that provides tools for creating highly targeted and personalized push notifications, emails, and in-app messages. It allows for segmenting users based on their travel behavior and preferences, and then tailor notifications to suit their specific needs.

A/B testing for mobile

A/B testing is a testing method that consists of asking random users to compare two versions of a certain page or an app element to find out which one performs better in terms of conversion rates.

A/B testing tools like Firebase Remote Config and Optimizely play a crucial role in our work, since they enable us to experiment with different versions of features, content, and user experiences to optimize your app's performance and user engagement.

Firebase Remote Config allows us to remotely configure the behavior and appearance of your app without requiring users to download an app update. It enables us to assess user responses to different configurations and make data-driven decisions to enhance the app's performance and user satisfaction.

Optimizely provides a platform for A/B testing, enabling us to create and run experiments to compare different versions of elements within the app, helping us understand which versions resonate best with users and drive the desired actions, like bookings or engagement with travel content.

Travel app development team

Previously, we outlined the app development process, now let’s see what roles are required for each step of the travel app development journey.

Design phase

Product designer

In the design phase, the product designer is responsible for creating the overall vision for the travel app: they focus on defining the features, functionality, and user experience, providing a solid foundation for other team members. They collaborate closely with your company during this stage to ensure that the design aligns with your brand vision and objectives.

UI/UX designer

The UI/UX designer focuses on the user interface and user experience, creating wireframes, prototypes, and designing the visual elements of the app to ensure a seamless and engaging flow. They also conduct user testing to gather feedback and iteratively improve the design based on user interactions and preferences.

Project manager

The project manager oversees the design phase. They ensure that the team stays on track with the project timeline and budget, and coordinates and communicates with other team members to ensure that the travel application development process goes smoothly.

Quality assurance

The QA specialist is responsible for testing the design elements of your app to ensure that they meet quality standards, are free of bugs, and function as intended. They work closely with the product and UI/UX designers to identify and address any usability or functionality issues.

Mobile tech lead

The mobile tech lead provides technical leadership and guidance during the design phase, ensuring that the design aligns with the technical capabilities and constraints of the chosen mobile platform.

Travel researcher

Designing a great app requires understanding of what makes them great in the first place. The travel researcher gathers insights and data related to user behavior, preferences, and trends in the travel industry and provides this information to help the team make informed decisions about your app's features and functionality.

They also conduct competitive analysis to ensure that the travel app stands out in the market and finds its niche.

Development phase

Project manager

During the development phase, the project manager continues to oversee the project, ensuring that the development team stays aligned with the project goals, timeline, and resources. They also facilitate communication between the team and other stakeholders to address any challenges and ensure smooth progress.

Mobile developers

Mobile developers are responsible for writing the code, implementing the features, functionalities, and user interface in accordance with the design specifications. They also collaborate with the QA team to address and resolve any issues identified during testing to ensure smooth performance.

QA

Quality assurance specialists continue to test the app during the development phase, identifying and reporting any issues or bugs in the functionality or user experience of the app. Travel and hospitality app testing is as important as the development phase since it ensures that the application functions smoothly, offers a great user experience, and meets all technical requirements before its public release.

Business analyst

The business analyst provides strategic guidance during the development phase — they analyze business requirements and ensure that the development aligns with the overall business goals.

API developers

API developers focus on creating and integrating the necessary APIs that allow the travel app to interact with external services and data sources, while ensuring that the APIs are scalable, secure, and optimized for efficient data exchange, contributing to the overall performance of the app.

Maintenance

Project manager

The project manager continues to play a crucial role during the maintenance phase, overseeing the ongoing support and updates for the travel app. They manage the allocation of resources for maintenance activities and ensure that the app remains aligned with evolving business needs and technological advancements.

Mobile developer

Mobile developers are involved in maintaining the app, addressing any technical issues, and implementing updates or new features as needed. They collaborate with the QA team to conduct regression testing after updates to ensure that the app's existing functionality remains intact.

QA

Quality assurance specialists continue to test the app even after launch, ensuring that any updates or maintenance activities do not compromise the app's quality and performance. They consistently monitor user feedback and app performance metrics to identify areas for improvement and optimization.

How long does it take to develop a travel app?

On average it takes around three months to build a simple or mid-complex app. However, the more functionalities you want to include, the longer it can take. The best way to estimate the travel app development cost and time required is to reach out to Zoftify with your idea.

How to find the right development company

There are a few things you should look for in a company: experience, portfolio, and their familiarity with the travel and tourism industry. What you're looking for is a company that has a solid background, successful app releases, and knows exactly what you need, so you can be sure that they will deliver a top-notch product that meets the needs of your target audience.

Luckily, Zoftify fits all of those requirements, so you don't have to look much further. Our experienced development team knows the ins and outs of mobile applications and the travel industry, so we’ll be your partner through the entire travel app development process. No matter how niche your business or idea is, we’ve got you covered, from travel organizer app development to travel deals app development.

That’s why Clutch rated us as one of the best travel and tourism app development companies.

Contact us today using our contact form, and we'll guide you through.

Zoftify’s experience in travel app development

Zoftify has extensive experience in developing travel apps for businesses of varied sizes and niches, and we are proud of the astonishing results of our work. Check out how we managed to increase repeat bookings for Tourshunter by 55%, and built a Festivalio app in just 45 days.

FAQs

How much does travel app development cost?

In general, the more functionalities a company wants to add to their app, the more the cost of tourism app development grows, which is why prioritizing the most important features is crucial.

It is difficult to share exact numbers in a general travel app development guide:: a company wanting to build an extensive booking app will have totally different requirements to a company wanting to invest in niche travel request app development. For an estimate, contact Zoftify and we’ll break it down for you.

How do travel apps leverage AI and machine learning to personalize user experiences?

Travel apps utilize AI and machine learning to provide incredible customer support through chatbots and personalize user experiences by analyzing behavioral data.

These technologies also enable predictive analytics for pricing trends, optimizing travel itineraries, and providing personalized notifications based on user interests. While these features might bump up the cost of travel app development, they are definitely worth it.

How can developers optimize travel apps for both iOS and Android platforms?

Developers can optimize travel apps for both iOS and Android platforms by leveraging cross-platform development frameworks like React Native or Flutter to build and maintain a single codebase for both platforms.

While separate iOS travel app development and Android travel app development is the optimum approach from a technical view, the difference in the final product is negligible. Plus, cross-platform developments will help you keep the cost of travel app development down.

Additionally, they can ensure native performance by optimizing the app's design and features according to the specific guidelines and best practices of each platform, providing a seamless user experience across iOS and Android devices.